Smithsonian Resources

 We live near Washington D.C.  Our family has made over 50 visits to D.C.  I spent one summer as a teacher volunteer and stayed in a dorm at Catholic University.  I love to visit D.C.  There is always something fun to see or do.  You could spend an entire day just walking around the Monuments and Memorials.  We park underground at Union Station.  It’s a three mile hike to the Lincoln Memorial from Union Station.  There is a subway from Union to stops near the Smithsonian and another closer to the major monuments or the White House.  Below are some of the resources.

 Did you know there is a hands-on lab, the Draper Smart!Lab in the basement of the American History Museum in Washington D.C.?  Here is more information; I’m still unclear which experiments they’re actually doing.  However, it’s free.  The Smithsonian does have teacher resources.  Here are resources for the Zoo in D.C.  All of the Smithsonian museums and the zoo are free.  Like me, you may come away with some opinions about the quality of the various museums.  Personally, I come away from the zoo feeling like I’ve had a long lecture, rather than seeing loads of animals.  I’ve been disappointed with the American History Museum’s exhibits lately, too. However, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, National Building Museum, and the National Gallery of Art are treasures.  

The teachers’ guides are scattered everywhere. Here  is the Natural History Educator guide.  Here are Smithsonian Art Guides for teachers.  Here is the  Smithsonian Learning Lab with Webinars.  The educator programs are strangely specific, such as Building Civic Engagement with Postage Stamps.  Here are educator guides for The National Postal Museum, next door to Union Station, in D.C.  Here is the Hirshhorn guide.  Here is the National Museum of American History educator guide.  

The Air and Space Museum has Educator Professional Development, Teacher Innovator Institute, Learning Resources,  There are two Air and Space Museums, one on The Mall, near the White House, and another, the Steven F. Unvarnished-Hazy Center, in Virginia, close to Dulles Airport.  Here are directions to the space museum near Dulles.  If you go to either air and space museum, scedule a group visit with a docent.  The docents are volunteers, often retired members of the military.  These folks are both interested in air and space and interesting.  The docents are volunteers and enhance your experience.